I don't own NCIS Los Angeles! My native language is Dutch and I'm dyslectic so sorry for any mistakes.

You readers are in luck. It's exam time for me! Which means no class and all the time in the world to write so I am doing exactly that. Many chapters are ready for you to read!

Chapter 6

Deeks saw Narah sitting on the steps when he arrived at the school. Her wavy brown hair was hanging down, almost covering her face. Not as Deeks remembered. This morning she was wearing a ponytail. Not bothering to think about it any longer, Deeks got out of the car and approached her.

'Hey, Narah,' he greeted the teenager. 'Ready to go home?' Without a word Narah got up and walked to the car. He watched her open the door and sit down. He shrugged and he walked towards the car as well. Narah was in the backseat, avoiding his gaze.

'Something wrong?' he asked. Narah shrugged and he sighed, before turning the ignition on. The drive was uncomfortably silent. Deeks tried several times to start a conversion but Narah didn't return a word. It was driving Deeks crazy. Why was she not speaking to him? He had barely parked the car when Narah got out. She waited for him to open the door and almost ran towards her room, throwing the door closed. Deeks stood in the door opening, not really knowing if he should leave her alone or not. He walked over to the room and knocked on the door. As he suspected there was no answer.

'I'm going back to work now, Narah,' he told her through the closed door. 'We will be home around seven. Stay inside…call us if there is something wrong…' He listened for any movement and doubted if he should kick in the door to see if she was okay. But out of fear of a mad Narah, or a mad Kensi, he decided not to do that. Instead he checked if there were food and drinks in the house. Then he headed out, back to work.

'Mills and Borges seemed to had have only contact with each other for the last couple of weeks,' Kensi filled Deeks in when he got back. 'No contact with friends or family. As if they were preparing to disappear off the grid after the shootings. Callen and Sam went over to their work to see if they can find a lead there. Meanwhile we have all their phone calls and e-mails to go through.' She pointed at the piles at his and her desk. Deeks walked over to his desk and rested his hand on the pile.

'We need to become senior agents,' he sighed. 'Just so we don't get stuck with the paperwork and go out into the field.'

'Well then you would have to become an agent first,' Kensi replied. For a minute Deeks thought about the papers. The papers that were stuffed away in a drawer. The papers that only need his signature to become an agent. He still not had found the strength to sign them.

'Deeks!' Kensi called him from her desk and he looked questioningly at her. She was waving some paper.

'What?' he asked confused.

'Mills and Borges were discussing the weed they needed to remove from their garden.' She showed him the e-mails.

'Okay, based on what Narah told us: they didn't look like the gardening types.' He read through the e-mails. 'So they might have been talking about the victims. But it seems like they planned to kill more…' Kensi jumped up from her seat.

'Deeks, we need to call Narah to see she's okay and we need to go to Maltino. See if he's alright.' Deeks immediately grabbed his phone while they hurried towards the car.

Mister Maltino seemed to become sad by Deeks and Kensi's presences but he let them into the empty building either way. He offered them something to drink which they both declined.

'Are you going to tell me someone died again?' he asked sadly while he put some drawings away.

'No, we're here to see if you're alright,' Deeks answered.

'I am not,' Mister Maltino answered bitterly. 'I lost three volunteers…three friends and a child. I had to close the youth center because it would be too dangerous for the children to be here…their supposedly safe place. They are all back on the street, where they started. How can I be alright with such lost? I had a duty to protect, and I failed!' Mister Maltino bowed his head in defeat, looking at the many children drawings in his hands.

'We're sorry,' Kensi replied. 'We're doing everything we can to catch them.'

'That would be a first,' Mister Maltino said bitterly. 'Law enforcement usually let the gang do whatever they wanted…no matter what that meant for the neighborhood. Like they had already given up on this neighborhood.'

'Well we are doing our best,' Deeks promised. 'So that you can open the youth center again and give those kids their safe place back. Let LAPD give you protection…' Mister Maltino shook his head immediately.

'I'm not planning on letting that damn gang change my life anymore,' he answered. 'I refuse police protection!' Deeks handed Mister Maltino one of his cards.

'At least call when you feel like you're in danger,' he instructed. 'Or when you see or know anything.' Mister Maltino nodded reluctantly and put the card on the table, continuing with his work. Deeks glanced at Kensi, who shrugged.

'We can't help him if he doesn't want any,' she told him.

The house was just a quiet as Deeks had left it that afternoon. Everything in the living room and kitchen seemed untouched. Kensi walked over to the guest room and knocked on the door.

'Nara, are you in there?' she asked gently and she opened the door to peek inside. Narah was lying in the bed, with her back to the door. Staring at the white wall opposite of her. She did not acknowledge Kensi's presence. Kensi stepped inside and sat down on the bed, waiting for Narah to face her. Hoping she would. But when she didn't, Kensi decided to speak either way.

'We spoke with principle Pumford this morning…' She glanced at Narah, hoping for any reaction but Narah stayed unresponsive. 'He told us about your grades, and the school skipping.' Narah shrugged and Kensi was glad she got at least some kind of reaction. 'Dinner will be done in fifteen minutes…Deeks is making some couscous. Also we would like to talk about school during dinner.' Kensi got up again, ready to leave when Narah's mumbling stopped her.

'What did you say?' she asked.

'I am not hungry,' Narah repeated.

'At least come sit at the table so we can discuss school,' Kensi offered as an alternative. Narah didn't reply and Kensi took that as an agreement to the offer. She closed the door when she walked out of the room and walked over to Deeks.

'She will join us for dinner,' she told him while she grabbed a bowl to make a salad in. 'Even though she does not want to eat.' Deeks nodded and he smiled a little.

'Who would have thought: Kensi Blye, the teenage whisperer,' he joked. She punched him in his arm and he winced.

'Hey, at least I got a reply,' Kensi told him. Deeks leaned closer to her.

'You are brilliant, Fern,' he smiled and he kissed her.

It was so quiet at the table that you could hear Deeks and Kensi chew their food. Narah sat silently on her chair, staring at the surface of the table and playing with her hands. Deeks glanced at Kensi, suggesting she should start. Kensi rolled with her eyes and cleared her throat. Again she barely got a reaction from Narah.

'Narah?' Kensi asked, trying to get her attention.

'Narah, please look at us when we're speaking to you,' Deeks told her and Narah lifted her head up, looking from Deeks and Kensi. Eventually she rested her gaze on the wall behind them.

'We need to talk about school,' Kensi started. 'And we don't want to just talk to you…you can talk to us as well.' Narah sighed and she averted her eyes from the wall to Kensi.

'I know I suck at school,' she shrugged.

'You don't suck at school,' Deeks disagreed. 'Principle Pumford said he sees potential in you. We see the potential in you. We just have to find a way you can be true to that potential…'

'Starting with no more skipping classes,' Kensi said.

'But those classes are boring and I don't need them!' Narah reacted frustrated and she crossed her arms.

'Narah, you could be an A-student,' Kensi replied. 'Instead you skip school and become a C-student…'

'I have a B in English,' Narah interrupted.

'And an F in Math,' Deeks replied. Narah shrugged.

'Also your English teacher thinks you can get an A in English,' Kensi added.

'I don't care,' Narah said. 'All I need is that stupid diploma to finish school!'

'What about college?' Deeks asked and Narah started to laugh bitterly.

'Kids like me don't go to college,' she told them. 'Either there is no money or we're too dumb. Why would I go for As if all I need are Cs?'

'What about a compromise,' Kensi suggested and Deeks glanced surprised at her. Narah looked interested. Kensi couldn't help to smile for that attention. 'You get Bs in most subject, a C in Math and an A in English. Then you would proved you can do it and we won't bother you. We won't push you to be the A-student you clearly don't want to be.' Narah had to think about it and then she nodded.

'Fine,' she said. 'I will try the Bs.' Kensi nodded contently.

'And no skipping school,' Deeks added and Narah nodded again.

'Bs and no skipping school: deal,' Narah concluded and she left the table, walking back to the guest room.

'Okay, that was school,' Deeks sighed. 'Up next are manners.' Kensi took a sip of her beer and put her hand on his arm.

'One thing at the time, Deeks,' she said. 'Don't get to ambitious. First we need to see if this holds.'

Loud buzzing woke Deeks up and he reached for his phone on the nightstand, missing several times. In his search he noticed that it was only three am. Sleepily he answered his phone.

'Deeks?'

'Deeks, Yosef Mills' brother Hamed tried to get out of the county. Hetty demands everyone at the boatshed…including Narah.' Nell sounded too awake and it took Deeks a few minutes to realize what she was saying.

'Yeah...we will come…I will try to hurry but waking Kensi and Narah at seven a.m. is already too hard.' Nell laughed and they exchanged their goodbyes. Deeks leaned over to Kensi and softly kissed her cheek.

'What, Deeks?' was the harsh, drowsy reply he got from her.

'We're needed at the boatshed…all three of us.'

'Can't…Narah has school in a few hours.' Kensi turned away from her, trying to get more sleep. Deeks smiled and he laid his hand on her shoulder, turning her back to him.

'Kens, kids don't go to school on Saturday…' Kensi sighed and finally opened her eyes.

'Fine…but you're waking her,' she told him. 'I'm taking a shower.' Deeks gave her another kiss and then walked toward his hard task to wake a teenager before it was even light.

'Narah?' he whispered as he looked into the room. She was sleeping spread out over the entire bed and Deeks smiled. He wished he could let her sleep. But he stepped closer and repeated her name again.

' I don't have school on Saturday,' she mumbled and she made a weak 'move away'-gesture at Deeks.

'Sorry, Narah,' he said softly. 'But it's for the case. We're all needed at the boatshed.' That seemed to get Narah's attention and with a scared look she stared at Deeks. He felt bad for scaring her.

'Do I need to identify someone?' she whispered. Deeks said down on the bed.

'I think so,' he answered. 'You probably need to tell us if you saw the person before…during the murders or around the youth center. But I promise you he won't be able to see you and we will keep you safe.' The words didn't seem to put Narah at ease but she got out of bed, slowly.

'I might have seen him,' Narah mumbled at she stared nervously at the TV screen where Hamed was shown in the interrogation room with Callen and Sam. 'I don't know if he was at the gym…there were so many people…but I have seen him at the youth center, talking to some of the kids.' She turned around abruptly. 'Are you sure he can't see or hear me?'

'He really can't see or hear you,' Kensi assured her. 'He doesn't even know you're here.' Narah nodded slowly and turned back to the screen.

'He is a gang member,' she said with a little more confidence. 'He has recruited kids for the gang at the youth center until Paul sent him away…it was actually just before the first vandalism happened…'

'Very good, Narah,' Deeks said. 'That is useful information.'

'But it doesn't get you the shooters,' Narah told him bitterly. 'He is more likely to give you access to his bank account than be snitch. That is how the gang life is…'

'I think Callen and Sam can manage that,' Kensi smiled and she glanced at Deeks. 'Shall we get some early breakfast?' Deeks nodded but Narah shook her head.

'I want to see this,' she said determined. 'Are they going to torture him for the information?' Deeks gently dragged her away from the screen.

'No, Narah, no one is going to torture someone,' he told her. 'But still you can't watch the interrogation. You have done your part…so it's time for breakfast.'

'I am not hungry!' Narah replied stubbornly and she glanced over Deeks' shoulder at the TV screen. Suddenly the screen went black and Narah looked surprised at the blackness.

'Thank you, Eric,' Kensi said over the earpiece, knowing that the teach had been the one to shut the TV off. Narah sighed and followed Deeks and Kensi out of the boatshed.

'So how long before you stop looking for the shooters?' Narah asked when they were sitting in a small dinner for the early breakfast. The place was deserted. They were there only with the owner and his wife. Deeks and Kensi both had a cup of coffee in their hands.

'Usually until we get a new case,' Deeks answered, deciding to be honest with her. Narah slowly nodded and she glanced at the menu though she clearly told Deeks and Kensi that she didn't want to eat anything.

'So what are the plans for today?' Deeks asked, trying to start a conversation. 'Something you girls want to do?'

'Can I go see my friends?' Narah asked hopefully. 'I will stay inside and keep far away from the gang…I just really want to see them.'

'You saw them yesterday at school,' Kensi replied, not knowing it was wise for Narah to be in that neighborhood.

'Yeah, but not really enough,' Narah contradicted. 'I used to see them all day long…instead I'm sitting at home, alone…doing nothing at all…So I can go and see my friends as well.' Deeks and Kensi glanced at each other, thinking about the answer.

'Okay, you can go,' Deeks eventually decided. 'But first we need to get you a phone so that you can call in case of an emergency.' Narah frowned.

'I don't want your presents,' she told them irritated.

'It's not a present,' Kensi emphasized. 'It's a way for us to know where you are and if you're okay.' Narah shrugged and made a movement to get up.

'Can we get that phone now?' she asked. 'So that I can go to my friends?'

'Easy,' Deeks laughed. 'We need to finish our coffee and pay the bill first. Beside it will take another hour for the shops to open.' Narah sighed and leaned back in her chair, seeming bored.

'Where did we get ourselves into?' Deeks sighed after they had dropped Narah off at one of her friends' houses. 'What do we know about raising kids?' He let himself fall on his couch. 'Teenagers are really exhausting!' Kensi laughed and she sat down beside him.

'I think we're doing okay,' she told him. 'For people who never raised a kid before…' Deeks smiled and he put his arms around her waist, pulling her body closer to his.

'I did miss this,' he whispered at her and he kissed her more firmly. His hands disappeared underneath her shirt, moving his hands over her bare back. Only their moment was disturbed by Monty who picked this exact moment to greet his owner.

'Not now,' Dees told the dog while Kensi pulled away from Deeks, laughing. 'Look what you did, Monty. You're supposed to help me get the girl!' Monty began to waggle his tail even more. Deeks smiled and he scratched the dog behind his ear.

'He missed you,' Kensi smiled.

'I missed him too…but I miss you more. We should have gone to your place…'

'Give him some attention and I will be waiting in the bedroom till you're finished.' Kensi gave him a meaningful glance and she walked to his bed room. Deeks stroked Monty one more time.

'Sorry, boy,' he told the dog. 'I have a hot woman in my bedroom and she doesn't like to wait.' He quickly got up from the couch and hurried to the bedroom.

TBC.

I hope you like it and everyone else who had exams: good luck! You will do 100 times better than me xD I will just be writing and getting my social life back

Please review